


Inkling

by Kateri



Series: Pendragon Blood [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boarding School, Gen, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Modern Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 05:36:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4423406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateri/pseuds/Kateri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course Arthur didn't know she was his half-sister, after all why would a prince attempt to bed his sibling?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inkling

When the fall term started Arthur found himself glad to escape from the oppressive atmosphere of Buckingham Palace and into the warm embrace of Eton. Though the rumors and speculation followed him here it was different. Here among the elite sons of Britain Arthur was more than a Prince caught up in a scandal, among these halls even without his title he would have shined. Charismatic, handsome, intelligent, and athletic were all words to describe him and it showed. Here there would be little blame laid upon him by his peers who were aware of how the royal household had fought to keep the speculation of whom might be one of his half-siblings from his ears when he was young. Even now the judgmental looks did not outweigh the ones of sympathy and horror from those he interacted with on a daily basis when not in school. For many the blame was laid at the kings feet, albeit in whispers. There were those though that were angry at Arthur for sleeping with a novice priestess, even though she was older than him. 

Arthur knew many would remember his ignorance of the rumors surrounding Merlin Ealdor when the younger boy started at Eton. Arthur’s shock at learning about the boy’s ambiguous parentage was genuine and saved both from undue curiosity into their lives. Many students actually took it upon themselves to gently steer the two away from each other to limit their interaction, believing it might be too awkward for the two boys, especially Merlin as the poor boy lived in a limbo as most certainly the illegitimate son of either the king, which would be an embarrassment on the monarchy, or a declared traitor and fugitive, which would grant him a title and lands currently being held by the crown. Considering they were in the same house this was a bit hard but they never seemed alone. 

Arthur had actually been a bit disappointed by how little he had interacted with Merlin the past two years, the younger boy seemed to be an interesting person. More importantly with the rumors surrounding his conception he might understand Arthur’s life more than many of his friends. Arthur had heard a rumor though that Merlin was interested in joining a sports team so this year might be different. The first week back at Eton it had turned out though that Arthur didn’t see Merlin at all, not even at a distance which he thought was odd and slightly worrying. 

Like he had thought his classmates were not nearly as oppressive or judgmental as those he saw at Buckingham and often saw him as the wronged party because after all how was he to know she was his sister? Arthur made sure to always agree and never hint to anyone that he might have had an inkling as to the truth. After all what kind of prince would deliberately seek out to ruin the daughter of the woman his father had an affair with, much less one that might be his blood?

**Author's Note:**

> I should note that despite setting this and many future parts in Britain and Eton in particular I am American and know very little about how things work. I have done some research/googling but facts fall by the wayside to make the story work or just make things up/assume when I don't know


End file.
